"The fact that we've had a female prime minister with a male partner, who wandered around looking fairly confused sometimes and whose role was not made clear, means that it's time we actually start rethinking the assumption that you come as a pair,'' she tells AAP.

"Both Margie and Therese are women in their own rights and we shouldn't make assumptions about what they're going to do and be.''

Margaret Whitlam, seen here with her husband in 1966, played n active role in political life as first lady.Source: News Limited

Australians will be hearing about and seeing a lot of both women during the election campaign.

Rein already has a strong personal following on social media.

"Even when voters were down on Kevin Rudd last time he was PM, there was always almost unanimous support for Therese Rein's role as first lady,'' Freedman says.

Rein fronted media with her husband when he was dumped as prime minister in 2010 and after his abortive attempt to take back the leadership in February 2012.

In June, she was on an overseas work trip when Rudd was again on the ascent and only just made it back in time to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

The Rudd children are also gaining prominence.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s daughter Jessica and the first grandchild Josephine have both featured in his campaign.Source: Supplied

Jessica Rudd accidentally caused a media kerfuffle before the 2010 election with her debut novel - written before her dad was deposed - which had a plot closely mirroring Labor's leadership upheaval.

More recently her monthly column for Cleo magazine made headlines when she compared the environment at Parliament House to the bitchy, cliquey high school of the movie Mean Girls.

Rudd's elder son Nicholas has taken a senior role on Labor's election campaign and the youngest Rudd, Marcus, is part of its digital campaign team.

Margie Abbott - who has no social media presence and is unlikely to get one - has flanked her husband at press conferences before the campaign, while daughters Frances and Bridget often accompany him on official events. Eldest daughter Louise is working overseas.

Cynics say Margie Abbott's recent higher profile is a political ploy to counter her husband's "woman problem'', citing her previous comments that he preferred watching period drama Downton Abbey than the football.

"I am an ordinary person ... no more and no less than the next person, however I do find myself in an extraordinary situation,'' she said during a speech last year.

The sad death of Hazel Hawke, former wife of ex prime minister Bob Hawke, was for many a sad moment as this first lady was warmly regarded by politicians of all persuasions and the Australian public.Source: Supplied

Michael Evans, who helped develop the Mrs Prime Minister exhibition at the Museum of Australian Democracy, says this sentiment has been echoed by many wives of political leaders.

"You're not necessarily in political life, you didn't stand for the position," he says.

"Then suddenly you find yourself in The Lodge and people coming to you with a lot of questions, you're invited to a lot of things, to take part in public life."

Evans says Australia's first ladies fall into two categories - those who support their husband in a private way and those who take a more active, public role.

Rein tends toward the latter, with her work as a patron of organisations that support the disadvantaged.

Abbott could take the other road, but she also wants to be a champion for children at risk.

"Once you're in The Lodge things change, people change, the role changes and people respond to it differently," Evans says.

"I think the thing with Mr Abbott's wife will be watch her from day one and see what happens.

"The role will change her as much as she will change the role."

Cox says it probably doesn't matter what they do.

"It's their partner that's going for the job and it's their partner that should be judged in the job," she tells AAP.

"In the 21st century you've got two separate people who share certain things, but it isn't two for the price of one."

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